Media Release

FA59 - 2 June 2003 

Regional Experts to Meet on Terrorism

I am pleased to announce that Australia and Singapore will co-host the first ever ASEAN Regional Forum meeting on managing the consequences of a terrorist attack involving chemical, biological and/or radiological weapons.

Australia’s recently appointed Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, Nick Warner, will co-chair the officials-level meeting in Darwin on 3-5 June.

The workshop will lay the basis for a common understanding of the complex issues involved in managing the aftermath of a major terrorist attack in the region.

The scope for further regional cooperation in this area will also be explored.

The workshop is the result of an initiative I launched at the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial meeting in July last year and is part of a package of new counter-terrorism measures.

The meeting will bring together experts from Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Russia, Thailand the United States and Vietnam.

The United Nations, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Australian law enforcement and emergency management agencies and local and federal government departments will also be represented.

The agenda will include an address by the Vice-Governor of Bali on the recovery process following the 12 October terrorist attacks and a demonstration by Darwin Hospital of its handling of the subsequent large-scale medical evacuation.

Media inquiries: Chris Kenny (Ministerial) +61 02 6277 7500 / Lyndall Sachs (Departmental) 02 6261 1555